Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-04-18
THE G!eAeo ESTATE.
An Account OF PhiIsdelphiA's Most
Unique Institution.
'pecisI Correspondence.

PHILADELpuIA. April lit was big
day for Philadelphia that brought out the
news Of Stephen Girard's viii. IL was
Lig dsy Tor many poor boy Vet uE-
born That day III the year Of the
Bourbou eNpul>"nS in France; those fierce
davs of hot July, 1884, when Girsrd's country
men won hherty and sent thrill "f JOY
through the Young republic on this side the
water. Ii was IN that Sesr, too, that Phila-
delphia's streets were opened Ia unrestricted
travel on Sunday and the chains which
stretched across the thoroughfsres At each
end Of block in which a church WAS located
were taken down. Til then CHAINS were hung
arruss III. streets during services on Sunday
under q power given nv the legislature. which
IN l.96 thought the worship-rs shOrld have
peace and quiet. and that peace and quiet
could best h- gained hv stopping the travel
over streets IA front Of the houses nf worship.
The dav after thst yesrs Christmas old
Stephen Glrar,i quietly lay down in hisTuaint
two story black glazed brick borS- on Water
street s,,"v- Market, and died. Died at ten
aud bali years hevnnd mans allotted three
scur. sud ten, and left all his buildings, his
hroal acres his inni>. his ships and his hard
earned CASH s. 90. 90 counting hs wealth.
left 1t all f"r the better comfort of fellow
beings then living ami for coming genera
tons. That was fabulous fortune IN those
dsvs
Take look at the college with me to-day.
Inside the high stone walls that surround the
graSs lawns. the stately trees, the two bathing
pools are even two dozen substantially built
buildings. and in them 800 BOYS ar" growing,
into usefulness, a. their heads and hands are
"nniolutly trained. There are ll9 directors and
teachers, from President FetteruIf down, in
,.tdinr teachers of reading. writing. sritb
n.tic. languages. music, the mechanical
arts and military tactics Think OF the
Worrying rares Of Matron Anna NJ
Shr.e,-. who presii-s over that large house
hold " hicb spent sl5S rtsi Nj last wear Think
of the daily routine 0f school duties, of mill
tary drill, with their own band. Of tinssring
M the shrl,. ht-,,nuttinc in the foundry. filing
and chi>-ling amid the movements Of belts
arh whirr Of machinery planning and saving
and plauin: and carvii. away Si5I $50 - in
one wear, tili the total expense, Of this con
stantlv changing town IN the hesrt Of our
cItv IS sw.lied 10 s5l5.s,4 ~. Then think
of that 20n.00 .well-i out till the
men who~a duty Ii * {" place values upon
property don't know how much that walled
town II worth. but roughly guess II t0 b-
worth s. '.w"hNl, - much sS the founder left
hehlId Then ti'ink of Stephen GIrlrd a
great man W"uidnt he be swed by his own
work II he could rise AID zee II aS YOU and
SEE IT. Perhaps he would Perhaps he saw
through theSs fifty six Years and knew what
his s2,@1,pn would ultimately do. Think
nf the precan'ion necessary to keep up the
ranitary condition at that town NJ boys
wh" live there Only between and Is
years, for they gain admission
rnv between and II" and mus; leave at Is
- that the dcsth raj. IL one year Is one half
NJ per cent. while in n- big city surround
Ing them the rate Is per cent. Think of
the constantly changing regiments uf boys
VII" have ""me and gone since GirarGs
portrait IN the vaultei hallway looked
down upon their first predecessors two days
after the Christmas of -. The applicants
for admission increase in number as the
college Increases IN usefulness, and, after
several years necessary crowding, room vas
made for 4'p more iovs last var when tha
new building, No. g." was completed, and
very little short of $4,000 was spent upon IT
That Girard did look ahead with wonderful.
wisdom Is evidenced by his provision for the
boys after they leave the college. for as they
grow toward the age of departure from It's
precincts Positions are secured for them and
business men and trsdesmen are USUALLY glad
3" get boys who have passed through the
discipline and training of Girard college As
particular stress was laid upon the study of
navigation bv Girari in his will the schoo,
ship winch ths secretary Of the navy bas
promised to provide for Philsdelphia will be
AN excellent continuation Of the eciucation of
those boys who desire 1t
Girari originally intended that the institu- |
tiOn should lie located III the block bounded !
by Eleventh, Twelfth, Market and Girard |
streets His will is voluminous. because Of |
directions for this college as he designed it |
should stand He even detailed tbe construc-
ton Of the floors, the rooms, the s;airways, |
the windows and doors and the manner Of |
ventilation and beating But II WAS a wise |
move TO locate it elsewhere for Philadelphia |
has grown since old Girsrd died aud It's busi, |
ness demands all the space IL can Get I. de-
ysl,p md nrnursSs in
IT,. ia. =, a., -, -, a., , !
:, N f " S'"''''
uesleheu i"r the coiiege one o, The largest !
buildings IN THIS city. IL Is all IRON IL Is an |
imposing white pile Of seven stories, and ate |
up 1915 bDu in It's construction IL , fit.ipg
Architectural comp,niop To ,b. graz, y,,,;..
povernm.p, nil. two s,p.r.s hs,ox !, phiI.
s,l;,- -,
~, u" s ouso
y ia now. ihi> uuSe bulldInS l. but 1
The beginning II series "i improvements of
this block Meaner stores and some brick /
were torn down t. give II a resting
place. Tn. occunant. of all the stor.. along
II, -. -. -, - ai'ns
- ,ta -. 80. -. o., Sc
anu '"e nou,e' ''eA o.i W" niu s'iN''' nave
beeh notified I" move. !" hen all are Out these
buildings VIII lie raze'l. and block of fine
possibly blg hotel will take their
places. IbeR improvements are character
jSric nf Gir,ri's hfa and tn, r,,yis,o,s a, m.
-, ~, 49,. ~
Will ihe iu'" ue iei' ipi ch"hsihS pris"ars
avenue IRON craInpei. narrow thorough
fare along the r1yer front 10 . hrosd wide
aNeiiu", ai"lis "ihch WSriah Neuicie> run III
>o"" "'' an "t 'oiis' al" Seep,'lS tns
streets eas' OF 'FRONT.' pet"eh Inc ana south.
IN presentaeIe appearance, was one Of the
big things Girard did for Philadelphia. and
another evidence of his ability to look ahead
10 foresee these years OF frighttullv elected
streets, fun OF fifth and uncertain surface.